The Future Continuous, sometimes also referred to as the Future Progressive, is a verb tense that indicates something will be in progress at a specific time in the future. It describes an action that will be ongoing.
The structure of the Future Continuous is:
will be + present participle (verb + -ing)
- Affirmative: Subject + will be + verb-ing
- Example: I will be studying.
- Negative: Subject + will not be + verb-ing (or Subject + won’t be + verb-ing)
- Example: They will not be watching TV. or They won’t be watching TV.
- Interrogative: Will + Subject + be + verb-ing?
- Example: Will you be working tomorrow?
Uses
- Actions in Progress at a Specific Time in the Future: This is the most common use. It emphasizes that the action will be ongoing.
- Example: At 8 PM tonight, I will be eating dinner. (The action of eating will be in progress at that specific time.)
- Example: They will be traveling to Europe next week. (The journey will be happening around that time.)
- Predicting or Guessing about Future Events: We can use it to make predictions, often about things that are part of a routine or plan.
- Example: He will be arriving soon.
- Example: She will be working late tonight.
- Asking Politely about Someone’s Plans: It can soften a question about someone’s future actions.
- Example: Will you be using the car this evening? (Instead of “Will you use the car?”)
- Example: Will you be needing any help with that? (Instead of “Do you need any help?”)
- Describing Parallel actions:
- Example: I will be cooking and my husband will be washing the dishes.
- Example: While she is reading, he will be playing video games.
Signal Words/Time Expressions
These words often indicate the use of the Future Continuous:
- At [time]
- This time tomorrow
- Next [day/week/month/year]
- In [number] days/weeks/months/years
- While
- When
Examples
- This time next year, I will be living in a new country.
- Don’t call me at 9 AM. I will be having a meeting.
- Will you be staying at home all day?
- She won’t be attending the party next Saturday.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Using stative verbs in the continuous form: Stative verbs (verbs describing states, not actions, like know, believe, understand, love) are generally not used in continuous tenses.
- Incorrect: I will be knowing the answer.
- Correct: I will know the answer.
- Incorrect verb form: Make sure you always use “will be + verb-ing.”
- Incorrect: I will being study.
- Correct: I will be studying.
Key Takeaways
The Future Continuous describes actions that will be in progress at a specific time in the future. Remember the form: will be + verb-ing. Use it to talk about ongoing future activities, make polite inquiries, or make predictions.
Lesson Practice
Lesson Practice
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